In certain time division multiplexed networks using recurring frames that are divided into time slots that are allocatable to define circuit switched channels, the time slots are used in such a way that control signaling, i.e. signaling among the nodes of the network with the purpose of controlling the operation of the network as such, is preformed in channels (time slots) that are completely separated from the channels (time slots) that carries the actual user (payload) traffic.
An example of such a network is the Dynamic synchronous Transfer Mode (DTM) network, wherein control signaling messages are transferred using so-called control channels which are separate from the so-called data channels that are used for the transfer of actual user (payload) traffic. All advantage of the DTM network is that the size of the channels, both the control channels and the data channels, may be adjusted as desired by simply increasing or decreasing the number of time slots allocated to (reserved for) the respective channel, as has been described in, for example, the International Patent Application SE97/00521.
However, a disadvantage with this prior an is that, in order for the nodes to be able to start communicating with each other to, for example, set up payload traffic channels, each node on a link typically has to know, for each other node on that link, which time slots in the recurring frame on that link that other node uses as its control channel. This means that either the time slot location of such channels must be in some way be predefined or the operator must manually, or by use of an overlying management system, configure the channels as found fit on the subject link at link set-up, thereby either limiting network configuration freedom or adding undesired configuration steps during link set-up.